Green Tea Extract Increases Fat Burning Post Exercise

Green Tea Extract Increases Fat Burning Post Workout

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in living organisms that can facilitate the fat burning process. The thermogenic effect of green tea is generally attributed to its caffeine content, however green tea extract has been shown to stimulate brown adipose tissue thermogenesis to an extent which is much greater than can be attributed to its caffeine content within itself. Green tea extract high thermogenic properties could potentially reside in an interaction between its high content in catechin-polyphenols and caffeine with sympathetically increases the fat burning hormone noradrenaline.

Since catechin-polyphenols are recognized to be capable of inhibiting catechol-O-methyl-transferase (the enzyme that degrades noradrenaline), and caffeine to inhibit phosphodiesterases (enzymes that break down noradrenaline -induced cAMP), it is assumed that the green tea extract, via its catechin-polyphenols and caffeine, is effective in stimulating thermogenesis by reducing inhibition at different control points along the noradrenaline -cAMP axis. This synergistic interaction between catechin-polyphenols and caffeine that augment and prolong sympathetic stimulation of thermogenesis could be of value in the obesity epidemic taking place in the United States.

Fat oxidation has been shown to increase after short-term green tea extract ingestion and after one bout of intermittent sprinting exercise. Whether combining the two will result in greater fat oxidation after of intermittent sprinting exercise is undetermined. Researchers investigated the combined effect of short-term green tea extract and a single session of intermittent sprinting exercise upon post-exercise fat oxidation. Fourteen women consumed three green tea extract or placebo capsules the day before and one capsule 90 minute before a 20-minute of intermittent sprinting cycling protocol followed by 1 hour of resting recovery. Fat oxidation was calculated using indirect calorimetry. At the end of the study, there was a significant increase in fat oxidation post-exercise compared to at rest in the placebo condition. After green tea extract ingestion, however, at rest and post-exercise, fat oxidation was significantly greater than that after placebo. Plasma glycerol levels at rest and 15 minutes during post-exercise were significantly higher after green tea extract consumption compared to placebo.

Compared to placebo, plasma catecholamines increased significantly after green tea extract consumption and 20 minutes after intermittent sprinting exercise. Acute green tea extract ingestion significantly increased fat oxidation under resting and post-exercise conditions when compared to placebo.

Tsai AG, Williamson DF, Glick HA. Direct medical cost of overweight and obesity in the USA: a quantitative systematic review. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 2011;12:50–61.

Goran MI, Alderete TL. Targeting adipose tissue inflammation to treat the underlying basis of the metabolic complications of obesity. Nestle Nutrition Institute workshop series. 2012;73:49–60. discussion p1-6.

Kalupahana NS, Claycombe KJ, Moustaid-Moussa N. (n-3) Fatty acids alleviate adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance: mechanistic insights. Advances in nutrition. 2011;2:304–316.

Basu A, Lucas EA. Mechanisms and effects of green tea on cardiovascular health. Nutrition reviews. 2007;65:361–375.

Chen Z, Zhu QY, Tsang D, Huang Y. Degradation of green tea catechins in tea drinks. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2001;49:477–482.

Chan CY, Wei L, Castro-Munozledo F, Koo WL. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate blocks 3T3-L1 adipose conversion by inhibition of cell proliferation and suppression of adipose phenotype expression. Life sciences. 2011;89:779–785.

Hung PF, Wu BT, Chen HC, Chen YH, Chen CL, Wu MH, et al. Antimitogenic effect of green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes depends on the ERK and Cdk2 pathways. American journal of physiology Cell physiology. 2005;288:C1094–C1108.

Hwang JT, Park IJ, Shin JI, Lee YK, Lee SK, Baik HW, et al. Genistein, EGCG, and capsaicin inhibit adipocyte differentiation process via activating AMP-activated protein kinase. Biochemical and biophysical research communications. 2005;338:694–699.

Kim H, Hiraishi A, Tsuchiya K, Sakamoto K. (−) Epigallocatechin gallate suppresses the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through transcription factors FoxO1 and SREBP1c. Cytotechnology. 2010;62:245–255.

Ku HC, Chang HH, Liu HC, Hsiao CH, Lee MJ, Hu YJ, et al. Green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate inhibits insulin stimulation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte mitogenesis via the 67-kDa laminin receptor pathway. American journal of physiology Cell physiology. 2009;297:C121–C132.

Ku HC, Liu HS, Hung PF, Chen CL, Liu HC, Chang HH, et al. Green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate inhibits IGF-I and IGF-II stimulation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte mitogenesis via the 67-kDa laminin receptor, but not AMP-activated protein kinase pathway. Molecular nutrition & food research. 2012;56:580–592.

Lee MS, Kim CT, Kim IH, Kim Y. Inhibitory effects of green tea catechin on the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2009;23:1088–1091.

Lee MS, Kim Y. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate enhances uncoupling protein 2 gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry. 2009;73:434–436.

Lin J, Della-Fera MA, Baile CA. Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate inhibits adipogenesis and induces apoptosis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Obesity research. 2005;13:982–990.

Liu HS, Chen YH, Hung PF, Kao YH. Inhibitory effect of green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate on resistin gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes depends on the ERK pathway. American journal of physiology Endocrinology and metabolism. 2006;290:E273–E281.

Moon HS, Chung CS, Lee HG, Kim TG, Choi YJ, Cho CS. Inhibitory effect of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells. Obesity. 2007;15:2571–2582.

Wu BT, Hung PF, Chen HC, Huang RN, Chang HH, Kao YH. The apoptotic effect of green tea (−)-epigallocatechin gallate on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes depends on the Cdk2 pathway. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2005;53:5695–5701.

Esfahani A, Wong JM, Truan J, Villa CR, Mirrahimi A, Srichaikul K, et al. Health effects of mixed fruit and vegetable concentrates: a systematic review of the clinical interventions. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2011;30:285–294.

Hursel R, Viechtbauer W, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis. International journal of obesity. 2009;33:956–961.

Phung OJ, Baker WL, Matthews LJ, Lanosa M, Thorne A, Coleman CI. Effect of green tea catechins with or without caffeine on anthropometric measures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2010;91:73–81.